St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-09-24

treat third term as a violation of re-
publican principles where a governor
d exercised only ordinary power, how in
nhltely much more important is it tt
prevent TOO long term in the CHIEF
executive, whore, by the effect of law
all the powers of government are cen.
tered in him?
II We nave reached state of society
"Aere We see Il necessity to waive al
I Or nearly all OF our traditional and sa
GREG rights, let us for the sake of ou1
country adhere with nnflinchiug tepa.
city to the safeguard. which remain
| unto us.
, THE DANGER OF ABUSE
OF such centralized power becomes
largel ~. Increased by every extension
whlcn is given to the investment of the
GHlel executive power IN one person.
nave we not seen the evidences of
danger! Why, my fellow-citizens, at
tne 4ast election there was submitted TO
me voters OF this state an amendment
on the subject of the state debt. This
amendment was promul gated as car
RED. Can 1t be denied that there was a
deep sentiment IN the state that such
amendment Gas counted in9 In the
progress OF this canvass such a charge
was made. How was it met by a
DENIAL OF the fact? No. sir, simply by
charge that the gentlemen advancing
| 50 w GIG
by of course, the PRONUNCIATION of
the amendment made ii final! Why of
course, Governor Nichols stands to
| what he has already said III favor of the
1ul1lllinent of public obligations and the
protection of the public credit by every
honorable means. Why of course, if he
| become governor of this state no effort
OF his would be spared to do erythlng
within the limits of his authority to
MAINTAIN, TO elevate, to support. to
| guarantee the credit of the state. Ref
erence TO the amendment was made for
the sole purpose of indicating how dam
gerous 1t was to liberty and TO free gov
eminent TO perpetuate such great power
IN one man, when the belief existed
that on matter of great public mo-
ment the ballot box had been de-
graded Tor tho purpose of accom-
pllshlng result. Talk about public
honor! Why, what greater blow could
be struck at public honor or at public
faith than that blow which corrupts
the very fountain of public morality IT.
self, the ballot box? Whether it be
true or not that the Mnendme ut was |
counted Ill is lmmaterlai; the very fact |
lhat IL has been openly charged that |
sucn was the case indicates the dangers |
TO result from long continuance ia |
power OF the chief executive when by |
law he IS invested with such awful du-
ties as those | have already mentioned.
lake another instance. One would
mink that such far-reaching authority
as l nave described vested in tue ex-
ecutlve would create in his mind deep
sense OF the grave necessity of preserv-
IN ali the other safeguards of personal
freedom and personal liberty. Is this |
the case? of course not.
In one Of his messages to the general
assembly Governor McEuery recon-
mended the entire
ABOLITION OF GRAND JURIFs.
The grand jury Is as much part of
English speaking liberty as Magma Char
"a Itself. lthas a two-fold object: The |
guaranteeing that a citizen shall not be |
tried for capital ottense without the |
nndlng of body of his fellow
citizens drawn from the peopIe |
and It furnishes further a BODY fresf,
from the people with power to examine
nUo the acts of public officers and thus
serve as a wholesome restraint upon the
performance of duty by public officials.
q recenb case the supreme court of I
me United States has declared that one I
Gould not be proceeded against in fed G
,ral court for capital otfense without |
ne Indictment of q grand jury. 1t l
moreover SAID that although the grand u
ury was no longer needed to resist the l
OF monarch 1t was never 3
heless true that it stood as bulwark
0 protect the citizen from undue and t
assy prosecution, and that they were
Justly regarded as one ofthe securities v
o insure against hasty, malicious and l.
ppreSslve prosecutions" :
Now what could have induced this | b
recommendation l have been told | il
nat cotemporaneously with this recon- =
lendatlon grand jury had been W
9vere IN It's structures upon public Of
Gals IN the city of New Orleans. | u
ont know whether it was this report c;
aus made that operated upon the mind h,
the governor. 1t seems plain, and | ! G
limit to you is plain, that when he c.
ade this recommendation he advised b.
70 aDrogatlon of an institution which IL
,ok Its birth with the birth of our pe
oertles and is essential to their pro- W
ctlon IN the future. These things point W
1T the danger of the third term; they &c
dictate the impolicy of extending for to
long period of time the authority of to to
10 chief executive when that author nr
= Is 80 far-reaching and all-embraclng III
IS the authority of the governor 1ln- Ct
r the laws of this state. ii
take 1T, then, that there is no one / Mi
thin hearing of my voice who is ID of
Vor OF the perpetuarion of the third hi
rm that whatever may be individual az
e1erences those preferences will be 90
t aside Wnen they conflict with the al
ry principles upon which our govern CA
int is founded and with the safe ha
ards which have been at all times | 81
and necessary for their perpetuation. we
Who, Then, Shall We Nominate? ca
comes the next question. In answer ma
, this question | take it that can 70
1T do SO by brief review of the his fr
y OF this state. If, looking back in MI
; past and marshallng it's events be- l
e you, l can single out one man who NO
, haep III IarnfaI TO I2E
, who has under all circumstances of pal
lculty and danger consecrated him. Ia;
with unbounded heroism and limit pre-
3 selt-abnegatlon to their service, OF
o in war ard peace has led the sons she
this state undaunted by difficulty NC
undismayed by trouble, think I
l have pointed out the man to be | r.
led to your leadership in the ap- hai,
aching campaign. i Ia
y the discussion of public questions ihG;,,,
ween opposing parties the cry of IN IN
asures, not mon, has force. Men die W.
measures remain. But in the dis :n",
sion of who shall be called to the s S;n
1ershlp within a party necessarily 1 I'll
sonal qualities and personal services "no
dered to the common wealth become e ss
subject TO which the mind is led, asa
which it necessarily makes the cri- 10y,
OF for The formation of its concIu- w
Is. ~
he history of this state may be d. 700 ao .
sd into five epochs-the epoch of e az
overy and original settlement. the o san
urrn,nla IL annnb oAo 81 opo 100000 VI Wal cou
md ne anoch op IF doi y, IoHonseIuc- Lutte
danger and oppression begotten by II.y
We may at once dis. alas
, from our minds the two first PIN
,hs. The men who wers actors in ~ VI
I events have long since passed Pun Pun
4. 4
tn nan,orv The ra,nai u =, anoMn his
q o1ossr nc I'D nara opoehs GIN